joe sacco

I know, I've been a bad bad blogger. So much architecture to write about (Berlin; Tokyo; Iraq; Dresden and more), cover stories to cover, exciting theater to ... er. Well, actually, I've been going out of town a lot, and that means the weekdays are packed with, gasp, print-related tasks.

As loyal readers know, Chuck and I went to Portland and saw Twelfth Night and The Beard of Avon at Portland Center Stage. I loved the second play and wasn't as into the first one. Then I went to Portland the next week and, after spending holiday gift cards at Powell's, popped into the PNCA to see the Joe Sacco show — which reminded me of why I'd love to teach a sort of alternative forms of literary journalism class at the UO's Literary Nonfiction Progam, from whence I got a master's degree in 2004. Sacco's Palestine (now available in special edition) and Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995 combine journalism and graphic novel skills (or comic skills? There's not a good language for this now — illustration skills?) to create moving and fascinating stories.

Then we went to Portland again (!). And I went gallery-hopping in the Pearl, something I've wanted to do when it wasn't a crazed First Thursday event. My faves of the many galleries I hopped through in one morning: Dennis Zaborowshi at the Blackfish Gallery; Thomas Conway at Pulliam Deffenbaugh (where I had a good time talking with gallery owner Rod Pulliam as well); and finally, though I think the art is a bit too easily accessible in some ways, I did like Carolyn Cole at the Butters Gallery as well.

Now we're on Bainbridge Island after a trip through the UW School of Dentistry yesterday — a cricle of hell I don't recommend — and a long wait for the ferry. Not going to see any theater tonight, sadly; I think people want to see the movie The Savages. Going to recover blogging capacity soon. Still reading Guardian theater blogs and other theater things, still thinking, still reading a lot of books. Reporting on those things to come.

Hey fans, I know you're out there, waiting with baited breath. Hopefully, Molly will liveblog the Oscars tomorrow! Because I know she wants to comment on people's fashion choices ...